Torpedo-net.



A J. BRADLEY.

TORPEDO, NET.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16,1918.

Patented Apr. 22, 1919.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1- A. J. BRADLEY.

TORPEDO NET.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16. ms.

Patented Apr. 22, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

[hr enrol" A. J. BRADLEY.

TORPEDO NET. APPLICATION FILED FEB. I6. I9I8.

Patented Apr. 1919.

LBIULM 3 SHEETSSHEET 3- fil mil" III II" l 1' FT TED STATES ronrnno-nnr.

isomer.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 16, 1918 Serial No. 217,987.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. BRADLEY, acitizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and use ful Improvement in Torpedo-Nets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to torpedo nets for trans-oceanic vessels wherein an endless net operates in conjunction with dispensing and receiving means to constantly retain a portion of the net stationary within the water and a distance from the side of the vessel.

The primary object of my invention is to produce submerged torpedo net for trans-oceanic vessels that Will protect the vessel from broad-side torpedoes and at the same time reduce the towing resistance to a minimum.

A further object of the invention is to provide an invisible or submerged torpedo net of the character described that may be used during a trans-oceanic voyage without diminishing the speed of the vessel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a torpedo net of the character described that may be easily and readily moved inwardly toward the side of the shipto facilitate docking or boarding.

I accomplish these several objects by means of the device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present specification wherein like characters of reference are disclosing my improved net applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a broken side elevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the r taining blocks;

Fig. 4 is a top elevation thereof; Fig. 5 is a front elevation on an enlarged scale of the left hand side of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a broken sectional view taken on line 66 ofFig. 2 in the direction indicated.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 is used to designate an endless torpedo net mounted to move, in a horizontal position, aboard a vessel 5 and from stern to bow. In its progress toward the how the net 1 moves over rollers 2 supported by a suitable super-structure 3 and also over what is commonly known as a tension carriage 4E having rollers 7 and 8 thereon. The roller 8 has its bearings mounted upon ascrew threaded shaft 9'whereby said roller 8 may be moved longitudinally toincrease or decrease the tension of the endless net 1.

After passing over the tensioncarriage *1 the net lpasses: over horizontally disposed Patented Apr. 2251919 I rollers 11 and 12 and from the said roller 12 1 passes downward through a forward well 14 to a roller 16 which is inclined downwardly and outwardly at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees to change the direction of the net 1 at right angles to itself and in the same plane as the said net 1.

This device changes the position of the net 1 so that it maybe passed in a vertical position and laterally from the side of the vessel 1 to a series of retaining blocks or pulleys 17 after passing over a vertically disposed roller 18 at the lower opening of the well 1%, said blocks or pulleys 18 being arranged toengage the larger rope or thickened edges of the net 1.

The blocks or pulleys 18 are provided with rollers 21 grooved to engage and retain the edges of the net 1 and at thesame time permit the passage of the thinner Web of said net between the peripheries or flanges of said rollers 21 adjacent the grooves therein. i

The blocks or pulleys 17 are suspended at a distance from the sides of the vessel 5 by means of collapsible braces 2-2 terminating in internally threaded sleeves 23 which are screwed upon oppositely threaded portions of longitudinal rods or shafts 2+ rotatably mounted upon the sides of the vessel 5 and below the normal water line.

After passing through as many blocks or pulleys 17 as may be necessary to suspend the net 1 in a vertical position at a distance from'thesides of the ship the said net 1 is passed into a rear well 27 provided at the bottom thereof with an inclinedroller similar to the roller 16 in the forward well 14- wherelo'y the direction of the net 1 is changed to carry said net to the upper deck of the vessel 5 and onto the rollers 2 of the superstructure 3 hereinbefore described.

' The rods or shafts 24 are provided with second bevel gear 38 meshing, in turn, with i for boarding :or. docking purposes. The r0- tation of the shaft 9-si1m1ltaneously moves therollersSto take up the slack occasioned by the inward movement of the net 1.. 1

I- have provided a rope or cableloop or connection 41: which. extends between each pair of upper and lower. blocks 17 so that any obstruction. engaging the net 1 as it moves toward'the rear of-the vessel 5 will beremoved from said net lby said loops ll.

A suitable motive powermay be applied to the roller 7 to feed the-net 1 from the sterntoward the bow of the vessel 5 at the same rate of speed as that with which said vessel 5 moves forward.

It will be observed that the net 1 will then pass-from the forward end of the vessel 5 at'the same rate of speed as the speed of said vessel 5,.thenet by this arrangement appearing as if it weresuspended stationary within the water,

Therefore, as the movement of the net 1 is such. that the. net appears to be stationary relatively to. the water, it is evident that there Will beosubstantially nonto-wing; resistance on, the part of the netzl. It is also evident that the said net 1 will be received by theaft or rearwellqat the same rate of speed with which the said net has previously passedgfrom the, forward well 14,501 from the bow of the boat.

As thenettravels sofast in the opposite direction of the vessel as to be, in'appearance, stationary within the water it is-evident that there will be substantially no friction-between ,thewater, andnet and conse quently a resistanoeotherwise due to towing will be, eliminated. v

It is also obvious that'as the net is submergedit will be substantially invisible.

It is also evidentthat the net may be easily and quickly moved inwardly toward the vessel 5 when said vessel is to bedockedor boarded.

Copies of this p'atentmayte obtained for Having thus described my invention what I claim' as new'and' desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A torpedo net for vessels comprising an endless net mounted to move on board in a horizontal position from the stern'to bow, and ina verticalposition in the water from how to stern; means for passing the net from the bow ofthe-vessehand for turning saidnet from a horizontal toa vertical position; means for receivingthe net at the stern ofthe vessel and 'forturningisaid-net from a vertical to a horizontalposition; submerged. collapsible means for" slidably engaging the topand-bottom-edges of the net portioninsthe water to retain saidport-ion atadistance from the side of the vessel;- meanscfori collapsing said submerged collapsible retainingxmeans to move the net inwardly toward the sideof the vessel to facilitate docking or boarding; andmeans for. simultaneously; taking up the slack in.

the horizontal portion ofthe net on board octtSlOllGtlflJY said inward movement of the vertically positioned portion-of the-net.

2. A torpedo net for vessels-comprising an endless net mounted to move on board in ahorizontal position from stern to bow, and in a vertical position in the waterfrom bow. to stern; means for passing, the net from the bow ofsithe vessel and for turning said net from a horizontal to a'vertical position; means for receiving-the net at the stern of the vessel and for turning. said net from a vertical to a horizontal position; submerged collapsible means forslidablyengaging the top and bottom edges-ofthe net portion in. the water to retaintsaidportion atia distance from the. side ofFthe vessel; means for collapsing saidsubmerged collapsible retaining means to move the net in:- wardlyitoward the sideof the vessel to facilitate docking or boarding; means for simultaneously taking up the slack int-the horizontal portion-ofthe net on board ocoasioned bysaid inward movement'of the vertically positioned portion -0f the net ;i and means for stripping objects from the net during its movement toward thesternof the vessel. 1

, Inwitness whereof I hereunto set my signature. a 7

ART UR-J. BRADLEY.

five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner 01*..Patents, Washington, D. 0." 

